Challenge Cup: Van der Merwe saves Edinburgh's blushes

Today at 10:42 AM

SATURDAY WRAP: Scotland star Duhan van der Merwe scored an all-important fourth try for Edinburgh's bonus-point win over Vannes on Saturday.

The Challange Cup Round Three victory is only Sean Everitt's team's second away win in 11 months.

The result gives them a huge chance to qualify for the play-offs.

Edinburgh pilled on the first pressure and after some pick-and-go at RC Vannes five metres out, Ali Price whipped it wide for Wes Goosen to cross after just seven minutes.

Ten minutes later some fluid play from the visitors put Price away to extend their lead to 12-3 following a penalty for Vannes knocked over by Jules Lebail.

Joe Edwards got a try back for Vannes from close range before a coast-to-coast cracker was finished by Price again to put them 19-10 up.

However, Vannes hit back again through Robin Taccola to make it 17-19 at half time.

After Jules Lebail knocked over his second penalty of the day to put RC Vannes 20-19 ahead in the second half, Duhan van der Merwe raced to the line out wide.

Tani Vili responded for the French side again with a super solo score showing incredible power to break through from near the halfway line and reduce the gap to just a point with 15 minutes to play.

However, a Ross Thompson penalty sealed the win for Edinburgh.

Cardiff salvaged a losing bonus point as Perpignan hung on for a hard-fought 23-20 victory in the other European Challenge Cup fixture.

The Blue & Blacks trailed 3-10 at half-time, following a powerful performance from the hosts, who scored all their points through Tomasso Allen.

A tight start in Perpignan meant just three points separated the two after 20 minutes, thanks to the boot of Tommaso Allan from the tee.

Tinus de Beer hit back with a penalty for Cardiff, but USAP scored the first try of the match through Allan on the stroke of halftime, which he converted for the hosts to head into the sheds 10-3 up.

On the end of a cracking crash ball, Rey Lee-Lo powered over a few minutes into the second 40.

De Beer added the extras to draw Cardiff level at 10-10, before another penalty from Tommaso Allan nudged USAP ahead once more.

Minutes later, Tavite Veredamu was on the end of a fast break for Perpignan as they extended their lead to 18-10.

Lucas Velarte added another for the French side, before Johan Mulder hit back for Cardiff to make it 23-20 with 10 minutes to play.

*More to follow...

Saturday's scores and scorers:

Perpignan 23-20 Cardiff

The scorers:

For Perpignan:
Tries: Allan, Veredamu, Velarte
Con: Allan
Pens: Allan 2

For Cardiff:
Tries: Lee-Lo, Mulder
Cons: De Beer 2
Pens: De Beer 2

Yellow card: Jake McIntyre (Perpignan, 64)

Teams

Perpignan: 15 Tommaso Allan, 14 Tavite Veredamu, 13 Job Poulet, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente (captain), 11 Seta Toganiyadrava, 10 Jake McIntyre, 9 Gela Aprasidze, 8 Lucas Velarte, 7 Alessandro Ortombina, 6 Noe Della Schiava, 5 Mathieu Tanguy, 4 Marvin Orie, 3 Nemo Roelofse, 2 Victor Montgaillard,1 Giorgi Beria
Replacements: 16 Seilala Lam, 17 Bruce Devaux, 18 Akato Fakatika, 19 Tristan Labouteley, 20 Patrick Sobela, 21 Tom Ecochard, 22 Antoine Aucagne, 23 Apisai Naqalevu

Cardiff: 15 Cam Winnett, 14 Regan Grace, 13 Rey Lee-Lo, 12 Rory Jennings, 11 Tom Bowen, 10 Tinus de Beer, 9 Aled Davies, 8 Alun Lawrence, 7 Dan Thomas, 6 Alex Mann, 5 Teddy Williams (captain), 4 Josh McNally, 3 Keiron Assiratti, 2 Evan Lloyd, 1 Rhys Barratt
Replacements: 16 Dafydd Hughes, 17 Danny Southworth, 18 Will Davies-King, 19 Seb Davies, 20 Mackenzie Martin, 21 Johan Mulder, 22 Ben Thomas, 23 Jacob Beetham

Referee: Gianluca Gnecchi (Italy)
Assistant referees: Franco Rosella (Italy), Lorenzo Pedezzi (Italy)
TMO: Stefano Roscini (Italy)

Vannes 25-29 Edinburgh

The scorers:

For Vannes:
Tries: Edwards, Taccola, Vili
Cons: Lebail 2
Pens: Labail 2

For Edinburgh:
Tries: Goosen, Price 2, Van der Merwe
Cons: Healy 3
Pen: Thompson

Teams

Vannes: 15 Gwenael Duplenne, 14 Salesi Rayasi, 13 Robin Taccola, 12 Francis Saili, 11 Filipo Nakosi, 10 Jean Cotarmanac'h, 9 Jules Lebail, 8 Joe Edwards (captain), 7 Matthieu Uhila, 6 Leon Boulier, 5 Timothe Mezou, 4 Christie van der Merwe, 3 Paga Tafili, 2 Theo Beziat, 1 Thomas Moukoro
Replacements: 16 Pat Leafa, 17 Hugo Djehi, 18 Simon Bourgeois, 19 Matteo Desjeux, 20 Jesse Parete, 21 Stephen Varney, 22 Tani Vili, 23 Inaki Ayarza

Edinburgh: 15 Wes Goosen, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Matt Currie, 12 James Lang, 11 Duhan van der Merwe, 10 Ben Healy, 9 Ali Price, 8 Ben Muncaster, 7 Luke Crosbie, 6 Jamie Ritchie (captain), 5 Sam Skinner, 4 Marshall Sykes, 3 Javan Sebastian, 2 Dave Cherry, 1 Pierre Schoeman
Replacements:16 Paddy Harrison, 17 Boan Venter, 18 D'arcy Rae, 19 Glen Young, 20 Hamish Watson, 21 Charlie Shiel, 22.l Ross Thompson, 23 Mosese Tuipulotu

Referee: Federico Vedovelli (Italy)
Assistant referees: Manuel Botto (Italy), Alberto Favaro (Italy)
TMO: Guiseppe Vivarini (Italy)

Source: Challenge Cup